Jenny Nakamura Bio
Athlete: Jenny Nakamura
Lives City/State: San Diego, CA
Go to Orange Mud Gear: VP2 & Endurance Pack
Primary Sport: Trail & Ultra Running
What’s your passion, your joy in life, anything special you’d like to share.
I would describe myself as a runner, traveler & foodie. I basically travel all over the world with my husband Sean, running races and eating all the food. I have lived all over the US and spent a year living in Bologna, Italy. I love meeting new people and talking about running. I love trails and am training for my first 100 miler, San Diego 100!
What sports do you participate in?
Running – trail & road and some yoga
What is your favorite race food?
Oranges, Go Macro Cashew Butter Macrobars & Chicken Noodle Soup
What is your go to hydration mix?
CarboPro and either Core from Proven Nutrition or Ultima for flavor
Do you have a major quirk you’d like to share?
I love the sun, just seeing the sun come out on a rainy/cloudy day makes everything better. I’ve lived in the south (Florida, Arizona & now California) my whole adult life because I can’t stand Midwestern winters.
If you were related to an animal, what would it be?
A cat
If a newbie to your sport asked for one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t compare yourself to others
Do you have any racing pet peeves?
(Gel packets, mud, thorns, smelly runners, etc). On the road I hate it when there are groups of people taking up the whole road. For trail – when a race runs out of ice on a day when they themselves have told you it’s going to be record breaking temps. And I hate mud with a passion. Every time, I’m like Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones, when he says “it had to be snakes”, I’m saying, “it had to be MUD!” lol.
What do you do for fun?
Run of course
What is your post race ritual?
A hot bath and all the food! If it’s hot out, Jamba Juice smoothies are a must-have.
How long have you been running?
I’ve been running my whole life, since I was a sprinter on the track team in grade school – high school. I started endurance running in 2010 and ultra running in 2015.
Why do you enjoy the sport?
I absolutely love running because of the people. Runners are amazing, supportive and kind people. The ultra community is truly an inclusive place and I’m so happy to be a part of it.
What's your favorite trail race?
Tahoe Rim Trail 50 (so far)
What's your favorite local trail?
PCT & Laguna Meadows
What's your go to piece of Orange Mud gear and why?
VP1 – you can use it for everything, short runs, long runs, biking, etc. It’s so versatile.
Profession and educational background?
I have a BA from Indiana University, I currently work in travel & corporate events for a private company.
What is your biggest accomplishment in your sport?
So far…finishing my first 100k. There was a time not so long ago that I would have never thought I’d be able to run that far.
Do you have a set training schedule and if so, what's it like? If not, how do you decide what to do?
Not really – we just go out and run but we run a lot of races to train. I have started a run streak so I try to get at least one mile in a day.
What's your dream race?
CCC - I’m not sure I’m ready for UTMB quite yet ;)
Favorite book for athletes?
Eat & Run by Scott Jurek
Do you listen to audiobooks or music during exercise?
Audiobooks during long runs/races, with my Aftershokz Trekz Titanium headphones so I can hear things around me.
What advice would you give to a new runner coming into the sport?
Like I said before, don’t compare yourself to others. Get fitted for shoes. And most importantly enjoy yourself!
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My husband, Sean is an amazing runner, he inspires me to push myself every single day. Also all of my IRL & virtual friends, seeing all their adventures motivates me to keep pushing.
Have you struggled with any injuries? How do you manage them?
I had a lot of injuries before I started wearing Altra’s exclusively. I still have some minor hamstring & back issues, but it’s nothing like it was in the past.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m training for my first 100 mile race and am so incredibly excited.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Get in and out of aid stations quickly & don’t sit down!
What is your favorite local running or biking store?
I’m still relatively new to San Diego and haven’t been to any enough to say favorite, but in Phoenix it is I-Run and in Orlando it’s Track Shack.
What blogs and social profiles would you like us to feature here?
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/runnylegs/
Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/runnylegs
Blog – www.runny-legs.com